Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-14

The mountain is one vast mass IT flame.
the said as he returned and again passed his
arm protectngly around the waist of Ella
| one OF the great slsds must have Jumped
| the track, torn down the lanterns and fam.
oeaux; the pines, bcmlocks and frs instantly
caught fire. 1t has spread in every direction,
and the mountain is one sea of flame, one
ocean of sitting smoke"
"Merciful heaven" she sobbed. frantically
clinging 10 him. Mr. Masters-Charley. Won
/ will save me-"
Or die with You, Ella -
~ ou must save me. fnr-for-I love Won -
and the face, from which hot blusb.s chased
the ghastly white. was even then modestly
hidden upon his breast
There was nothing Of geometry now Ter
rlbie danger had swept away everything but
love and fear, had torn Off all covering from
the secret Of her heart, and she p.rmi,,si
herself to he led 10 the top Of the slid. Then
she hesita.ed and shuGtierinrIy faltered.
w hat are You going To dor
"Endeavor to gain the bottom II is our
only, our last hope"
Then We are indeed lost. No one could
pass through such walls of fire. such boiling
pillows Of smoke and lime
Yet 1t is our one chance for life Wsr. !,
not Tor you, darling, | would laugh at the
hazaru; now my very soul is tortured
Look and she poin,ed to the mad,v
leaping flames, the great waves Of blact
curling smoke, the roaring hell almost at
their feet
TO hesitate is to invite the most fearful of
uea'ns' we might As well perish together
nen''hs ior NE as TO await its coming here"
ne answered. Nothing else is left us. lie.
us hope bravely and love will carry us ,ri-
umphantly through"
ay, love born of earth only 20 ie made
eternal In Heaven, she murmured as she sub.
mitted to being placed upon the toboggan and
covered Win MS coat and snow hastily gath
cred for the purpose
Finding himself behind her and shielding
his face as much as possible he started upon
.heir desperate course, started on a race with
fate against Lin. From every side the fire
was drawn 10 them: in the vacuum created
by the sled red tongues started and spitefullv
nlSstN ana struck at them monstrous SER
pents being robbed Of their prey. The stop
page of single Instant would be fatal. the
slightest obstruction give them over to doom.
as INTO flaming jaws of a volcano: a single
error IN steering find it's penalty in such liy-
ing cremation as turns the soul faint even in
the contemplation.
But once the girl lifted her face from the
thick covering; then half blinded and with
her delicate skin scorched she concealed IL
again. Curiosity had been more than salts
he'd, anxiety about her lover terribly an
swered. Yet she had been blissfully reward
ed -he momentarily exposed lips had been
thrilled with a kiss first kiss-and she felt
that for here and hereafter their souls were
united.
On like an arrow sped the toboggan. Over
slight obstacles it leaped as a living, a fear
driven thing. But closer and denser and
more terribly grand and dangerous closed the
walls of flame, swirling up from the ground,
roaring down from above, pouring upon
them deadly rain Of cracking Goals, tossing
before them kissing brands-a mad, fiendish,
devouring element against which the power
OF man was as futile as the web of spider to
bind a whirlwind
Charles Masters was beyond all guidance
Of the toboggan. 1t leaped and ran now of
its own will His sight was lost in the glare.
his lungs were filling with the smoke. his
scorched hands were losing their power.
Against this terrible antagonist he could
battle no longer, and with his head sunk
upon the form Of the girl he painfully
whispered:
Darling, are you still hvingi-
YES, and youi"
Il have done all can. May heaven bless |
you"
You are dying!r
1-I-fear so. Ny blood seems boiling.
my flesh roasting, my heart xhriveling up
and'-
In the next breath the toboggan was speed |
ng swift as light over the ice of the lake and |
through the hell Of danger they had passed to |
he heaven of safety. y.-Mnemosyn in New |
York Mercury.